Posts tagged Matthew Fisher

(Review from progarchives.com)

By the time this fourth album came out, Procol was concentrating mainly their efforts on the US and Continental Europe, (as the UK were mostly ignoring the group) and Matthew Fisher (not a great fan of touring) had simply left the group, although he was still being their producer (until half the sessions).

With Fisher gone, one would expect the organ maybe disappearing completely from Procol Harum’s music, but such was not the case: Chris Copping, another ex-Paramounts will come in on bass and will also double on the organ, actually making this instrument much more present than on the previous “A Salty Dog”. One of the most striking features, outside a relatively harder sound (Trower being ever more confident) are the very depressing lyrics that Keith Reid provided for this album. Most are about death and doom, although it turns out that this was mostly incidental. Another feature is that the album has much more of a focus than its predecessor.

“Home” is a very much more even album than its predecessor, and the highlights are also brighter than on “A Salty Dog”. A very hard Trower-penned Whiskey Train starts off the album a bit surprisingly, but clearly coming just after are “Dead Man’s Dream” is one of the many highlights of the album, with the equally doomed “About To Die”, making the backbone of the first side of the album. Both tracks are among the very best of Procol Harum’s career.

The second side also holds two major tracks: “The Barnyard Story” (where Copping plays a Harmonium) and the grandiose “Whaling Story” with its almost 8-min length and full dramatic suspense. Along with the side-long suit in the “Shine On Brightly” album, “Whaling Story” is the most ambitious track that Procol Harum wrote and the tracks works wonders live, in studio or in its magnificent orchestral arrangements. Other good tracks are “Nothing That I Didn’t Know” and “Piggy Pig Pig” (another Trower track), while “Still There’ll be More” is a wink to the previous album’s great track, but it is not living up to its promise.

“Home” manages to maintain Procol Harum’s archetypical distinction, despite the line-up changes and the irruption of new refreshing airs.

Line-up:
- Gary Brooker / lead vocals, piano
- Chris Copping / bass, organ
- Keith Reid / words
- Robin Trower / guitars
- Barrie James Wilson / drums

Track List:
01. Whiskey Train – 4:32
02. Dead Man’s Dream – 4:43
03. Still There’ll Be More – 4:57
04. Nothing That I Don’t Know – 3:37
05. About To Die – 3:35
06. Barnyard Story – 2:45
07. Piggy Pig Pig – 4:46
08. Whaling Stories – 7:07
09. Your Own Choice – 3:09

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(Review from progarchives.com)

Despite the many highs and relatively few lows (I’m talking musically) of Procol Harum’s initial decade-long run of 1967-1977, I think the group never made an album of such consistent brilliance as this one.

The fun starts with the title track which is about a crew on a sinking ship (The theme of maritime disaster is a real Procol Harum constant and is never far away on this album). Eschewing the traditional Procol Harum sound in which organ and guitar are pre-eminent, this song is a great pop/classical fusion. The tragic lyrics are brought to life by Brooker’s enormous aching voice, glorious orchestral string work and top-notch drumming from B.J. Wilson, who by this third album had become a real force to be reckoned with.

The rest of the album sees all the Procol elements at their peak on a wide range of material. There’s old school blues (Juicy John Pink) and a few Brooker-led stompers like the rasping The Milk Of Human Kindness, the ballsy The Devil Came To Kansas and the rather more subtle All This And More, all of which feature Trower’s stinging guitar, usually in tandem with Fisher’s organ. A really moody Too Much Between Us slips in and out, stopping only to slip a dagger between one’s ribs, courtesy of a Brooker solo on celeste.

There are also three pieces with lead vocals from Fisher. First off there’s the totally infectious “rich and fruity” marimba-driven calypso of Boredom. The Wreck Of The Hesperus is a glorious piece of sheer genius, driven by a constant rippling piano arpeggio and sweeping strings. It has a totally chilling fade-out as the sound of waves wash over our protagonists. The monumental organ-drenched Pilgrim’s Progress is perhaps the closest Procol Harum ever get to the A Whiter Shade Of Pale feel on this album, but Fisher’s vocals give the song a totally different flavour.

Then there’s Robin Trower’s stunning turn on Crucifiction Lane. Reid’s lyrics are magnificent and this awesome semi-Biblical bluesy rant chills me to the core. It’s a work of real power, on which Trower wields his guitar like a sword.

Indeed Trower was making his presence felt more than ever before, but the balance between Procol Harum’s blues and classical tendencies are virtually perfect on this album.

Line-up:
- Gary Brooker / lead vocals, piano, celeste, 3 string guitar, bells, harmonica, recorders, woods
- Matthew Fisher / organ, backing vocals, marimba, acoustic & electric rhythm guitars, piano, recorders
- Dave Knights / bass
- Keith Reid / words
- Robin Trower / acoustic & lead guitars, backing vocals, sleigh tambourine
- Barrie James Wilson / drums, tabla, congas

Track List:
01. A Salty Dog (4:41)
02. The Milk of Human Kindness (3:47)
03. Too Much Between Us (3:45)
04. The Devil Came from Kansas (4:38)
05. Boredom (4:34)
06. Juicy John Pink [Mono Version] (2:08)
07. Wreck of the Hesperus (3:49)
08. All This and More (3:52)
09. Crucifiction Lane (5:03)
10. Pilgrims Progress (4:32)

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